Supporting Militants would Bring More Attacks on US: Syria

Friday, 26 April 2013

Supporting Militants would Bring More Attacks on US: Syria

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister, Fayssal Miqdad, warned on Thursday that Washington’s support for Syrian militants threatens the security of the United States, as extremists would “spread the fire of terrorism” around the world.

Miqdad was quoted by Reuters as saying that “US support for Syrian rebels may lead to more attacks on American soil like those of September 11…”
“Once the fire of terrorism spreads in Syria it will go everywhere in the world," Miqdad added.
Referring to foreign extremists who have joined Syrian militants in fighting the Syrian National Army, Miqdad said: “These chickens will go back to roost where they came from because encouraging terrorism definitely backfires ... Once these terrorists succeed in Syria, they will go everywhere."

According to Reuters, the Syrian deputy drew a comparison with the US-backed “jihad” against Soviet occupiers in Afghanistan that fostered Al-Qaeda.

Commenting on the Boston bombings, Miqdad hoped “the American administration will remember again the September 11 attack - which we strongly condemned in Syria - and not repeat these policies which encourage terrorism.”

On the current field situation The Syrian official projected confidence in the Syrian victory, and denied that militants were gaining any points on ground.

While condemning support for the militants from neighboring countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, as well as the Western powers, Miqdad stressed that his government enjoyed broad international support.

"I would like to say, with all confidence, that all Syria is controlled by the government but there are places where armed groups have been armed, financed, by certain circles - namely Qatar, Saudi Arabia, France and the UK and other European countries - who due to logistical reasons may control this or that part of Syria," he said.

"But this is moving every day."

Asked when the government would win, the Syrian official said “like all those countries which have suffered the plague of terrorism, it takes time".

"Once this support from neighboring and European countries ceases we can easily deal with it," he said.

CHEMICAL "LIE"

Miqdad dismissed Western and Israeli claims that his government had used chemical weapons, and considered it was a "big lie" that Syria was blocking a UN investigation into the allegations.
"We are ready to receive immediately the team to investigate the case of Aleppo, to provide all the logistics, help and support and protection and it is the responsibility of the UN secretariat if this delegation doesn't arrive in Syria."

Mikdad also denied claims that Damascus was receiving arms and military support from Russia or fighters from Iran or Hezbollah, indicating that foreign supporters were providing only humanitarian aid and Syria had ample reserves of its own.

"We are not isolated, we don't feel isolated," he said of efforts to impose international sanctions. "Besides Russia, we have China, India, South Africa and we have almost all Latin American countries, and Africa and other Asian countries."

From here, Miqdad warned the EU against helping militants in Syria sell oil from captured fields in the north.

"That is a direct theft of Syrian property," he said, adding: "We are still a government and a strong government. We will stop them.”

Moreover, the Syrian official reflected the government's contention that Syria has been targeted by US-allied Arab powers because it was part of the “axis of resistance”.

"We believe the main objective in attacking Syria is to weaken it as a major power and to implement Israel's policies in the region in connivance with the United States and Western interests."
On how the Syrian conflict would end, Miqdad sketched two scenarios: "Either we opt for a political solution as projected by President Assad in his speech on January 6 ... or the other scenario where the main objective of arming, harboring and smuggling armed groups into Syria will continue."

"In this case, we have a strong army, we have a strong country, and we have determination by the majority of Syrians to combat terrorism. But our preference and the preference of the Syrian leadership is to work for a political settlement."